Memory processing systems for well tools

Abstract

A self-contained, down hole powered electrical system in which a well tool microprocessor and circuitry can be programmed from an external microprocessor and verified as to functional capabilities and data can be retrieved from the tool by use of a current and voltage encoded binary system. Further, the system includes an alarm system for verifying the operation of the tool.

We claim: 
     
       1. A method for programming an internal microprocessor (CPU) means and memory means including a programmable non-volatile memory element which are enclosed within an elongated electronics housing for use in a well bore and recording pressure and temperature data and where the electronics housing is adapted to be rigidly connected at one end to an elongated sensor housing by electrical connector means in each of the housings for electrically coupling pressure and temperature sensor means in the sensor housing to the microprocessor means and memory means including non-volatile memory element in the electronics housing and adapted to be rigidly connected to an elongated battery housing at its other end where the battery housing contains batteries for providing electrical power, the method including the steps of: prior to connecting the battery housing and the sensor housing to the electronics housing at the earth's surface, applying a conditioning reference voltage to the connector means at said one end of the electronics housing for conditioning the internal CPU means for receiving electronic data from or for sending electronic data to the connector means and for supplying operating voltage to the circuits in the internal CPU means and memory means;   inputting binary encoded data representative of a software program for the internal CPU means from an external host CPU means to the internal CPU means and the non-volatile memory element of the memory means in the electronics housing via the connector means to input the software program into the non-volatile memory element where the software program can be used to implement operation of the internal CPU means; and   thereafter, while maintaining said reference voltage, reading out said binary encoded data from the internal CPU means and memory means in the electronics housing to the external host CPU means for verifying the entry of said binary encoded data to the non-volatile memory element in the memory means.   
     
     
       2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the connector means is comprised of two terminals and said binary encoded data is input by use of a voltage pulse mode and said binary coded data is read out by use of a current pulse mode. 
     
     
       3. The method as set forth in claim 1 or claim 2 and further including the step of: at the earth's surface, rigidly connecting the electronics housing and the sensor housing to one another;   rigidly connecting the battery housing containing the batteries for providing electrical power to the electronics housing to apply power to said CPU means and said memory means and for initiating operation of the software program for issuing a first set of the binary encoded instructions for determining four criterion, i.e., if the memory in the non-volatile memory has been successfully erased, for determining if the encoded data are successfully complete and operating, for determining that the non-volatile memory cells are successfully operative, and for determining that the sensors are successfully operative; and   upon completion of the operation of the first set of binary encoded instructions, actuating an internally located audible sound means for a defined period of time if the memory has been successfully erased, if the encoded data are successfully complete and operating, if the memory cells are successfully operative, and if the sensors are successfully operative, and where failure to actuate the sound means indicates a failure of one of the criterion.   
     
     
       4. The method as set forth in claim 3 and further including the steps of: lowering the interconnected housings to a desired depth in a well bore for obtaining borehole data representative of pressure and temperature in another non-volatile memory element in the memory means;   periodically actuating the sensor means for inputting borehole data representative of pressure and temperature in binary code to the other non-volatile memory element;   retrieving the interconnected housings means from the well bore and disconnecting the sensor housing from the electronics housing;   applying a conditioning reference voltage to the connector means at said one end of the electronics housing for conditioning the internal CPU means for receiving or sending data to the connector means and for supplying operating voltage to the internal CPU means and memory means in the electronics housing; and   reading out binary coded borehole data representative of pressure and temperature from the other non-volatile memory element to an external host CPU means for a surface read out of the binary coded borehole data from the other non-volatile memory element.   
     
     
       5. A method of retrieving borehole data from a well tool which senses pressure and temperature parameters in a well bore and where the well tool has an internal microprocessor (CPU) means and memory means including a programmable non-volatile memory element for collecting downhole pressure and temperature parameters in binary coded borehole data in an electronic housing and the electronic housing has connector means comprised of two terminals for coupling to a pressure and temperature sensor housing, including the steps of: after utilizing the well tool for collecting binary coded borehole data in said memory means, disconnecting the housings from one another and applying a conditioning reference voltage signal to the connector means on the electronics housing for conditioning the internal microprocessor CPU means for sending binary coded borehole data in said memory means to the connector means and for supplying operating voltage to said microprocessor CPU means and memory means; and   while said reference voltage signal is applied, transmitting binary coded borehole data from the internal microprocessor CPU means and memory means to an external host CPU means coupled to said connector means on the electronics housing for obtaining a read out of the binary coded borehole data from the non-volatile memory means in the electronics housing.   
     
     
       6. The method as set forth in claim 5 wherein the connector means is constituted by two terminals and said binary encoded data is read out by use of a current pulse mode. 
     
     
       7. An electronics sub-assembly and housing for use in a well tool for sensing pressure and temperature in a well bore traversing earth formations, where said well tool is comprised of separate interconnectable housings each having sub-assemblies and including a power source sub-assembly and housing, an electronics sub-assembly and housing and a sensor sub-assembly and housing, said electronics sub-assembly and housing including: an elongated electronics housing having electrical connection means at one end of said electronics housing, said connection means having two electrical terminals;   internal microprocessor means and memory means enclosed in said electronics housing and coupled to said two terminals;   input/output means for processing data received from a pressure or temperature sensor means enclosed in said electronics housing, said input/output means being coupled to said microprocessor means and said memory means and being coupled to said two terminals;   conditioning means for responsive to an input reference d.c. voltage applied to said two terminals for conditioning said microprocessor means for receiving from or for sending encoded binary data to the two terminals and for supplying operating d.c. voltage to the memory means and to the input/output means for processing data;   said input/output means in said electronics housing being constructed and arranged for receiving binary encoded voltage signals representative of a software program from an external microprocessor connected to said two terminals and for applying said binary encoded voltage signals into the internal microprocessor means and memory means in said electronics housing; and   said input/output means further being constructed and arranged for transmitting binary encoded current signals from said internal microprocessor means to an external microprocessor means for reading out encoded data in said memory means.   
     
     
       8. The apparatus as set forth in claim 7 and further including separating means in said electronics housing connected between said two terminals and said input/output means for separating binary encoded current signals from binary encoded voltage signals. 
     
     
       9. Apparatus for verifying the functioning of an electronics sub-assembly and housing for use in a well tool for sensing pressure and temperature in a well bore traversing earth formations, where said well tool is comprised of separate interconnectable housings each having subassemblies and including a power source sub-assembly and housing, and electronic sub-assembly and housing and a sensor sub-assembly and housing, said apparatus and housing including: an elongated electronics housing having microprocessor means, memory means and means for processing data received from a pressure or temperature sensor means enclosed in said electronics housing where said memory means includes a non-volatile memory element having memory cells and program instructions,   connector means for interconnecting said microporcessor means, said memory means and said means for processing data and for providing first sensor terminals and first battery terminals respectively at each of said electronics housing;   an eleongated sensor sub-assembly and sensor housing having pressure and temperature sensor means coupled to second sensor terminals at one end of said sensor housing where said first and second sensor terminals interconnect when said sensor housing and said electronics housing are interconnected;   an elongated battery sub-assembly and battery housing having battery means coupled to second battery terminals at one end of said battery housing where said first and second battery terminals interconnect when said battery housing and said electronics housing are interconnected;   said microprocessor means being operatively responsive to interconnection of said battery housing and said electronics housing for determining if the program instructions in the non-volatile memory have been erased, if the program instructions are complete and operating, if the non-volatile memory cells are operative, or if the sensors are operative; and   means responsive to the response of said microprocessor means for initiating an audible sound from an internal audible sound means in said electronics housing for a defined period of time if the program instructions in the non-volatile memory element have not been erased, if the program instructions are complete and operating, if the non-volatile memory cells are operative, and if the sensors are operative.